A.L. CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES HOL @ TIJ G#3
Game 3: David Price vs Zack Greinke. Â
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t’s a Tale of Two Cities who may be 2 countries away, but are only separated by 141 miles. Tijuana heads home with a 2 games to 0 lead smiling and happy. Hollywood heads to the road, embarrassed by their home play, just hoping they can return this thing home. As the 2 teams meet at home to exchange lineup cards, Tijuana Manager Dave Myers notes that Hollywood changed their season long lineup dramatically – hoping to catch lightening in a ‘Bottle (Rocket)’. He’s seen chuckling at the lineup card as we walks to the dugout mouthing ‘like it’s gonna matter’. Emlio Bonifacio, who was close to the plate sees this and melee ensues. Bonifacio is toe-to-toe with Myers. THE BENCHES CLEAR! THE UMPIRES BEGIN TO SEPARATE BOTH TEAMS BUT NO PUNCHES ARE THROWN. HOLLYWOOD IS FIRED UP!
Bonifacio glares towards the dugout as he steps in to start the game. The first pitch of the ballgame, it’s looped to left towards the gap, Ryan Braun on his high horse….it drops in and Bonifacio is on 1st pointing to the Tijuana dugout. With 2-outs and Bonifacio on 2nd, Ian Kinsler steps in. Kinsler lines the pitcher hard to left, toward the gap. It’s rolling to the wall – good for extra bases, Bonifacio cruises into home as Kinsler stands in at 2nd clapping his hands. Hollywood has their first lead of the series at 1-0.   With 1-out in the bottom of the 1st, Michael Young singles to right, than Ryan Braun is hit by a pitch. Is that a purpose pitch? Price is struggling and if it lasts, Hollywood season will be done quicker than Motor City’s was. Manager Steve Cutler walks to the mound to calm Price down. It must have worked because Price settles down to strike out Prince Fielder and get Carlos Beltran on a bouncer to 2nd. We move to the top of the 2nd and Greinke walks David Ross to start the inning. 
That brings up Jason Kubel. Fielder’s at the bag….the pitch….Kubel goes the other way…hit deep to Braun…..he’s after it…it’s GONE! Kubel pumps his fist as he rounds the bases and Hollywood takes a 3-0 lead! We head to to the top of the 3rd. With 1-out, Ian Kinsler hammers a double to right. With 2-outs, David Ross walks once again. With runners at 1st & 2nd, Greinke faces Kubel again. Kubel hammers it to right, deep to the wall….Justin Upton pulls it on to end the inning. Greinke breathes easily and we head to the bottom of the 1st. With 2-outs in the bottom of the 3rd, Michael Young walks. This brings up Braun. Braun nubs it to the hole. Starlin Castro dives, it trickles through for a base hit. With Prince Fielder coming up, Myers is not taking any chances. Fielder cuts on one, it’s a bullet to right, Young heads home…the throw from Jay Bruce….he slides around the tag….SAFE! Tijuana is psyched as they are on the board, cutting the lead to 3-1. We move to the 4th. Wilson Betemit leads off. He singles to center; Betemit stretching it to second, the throw by Beltran…it’s a bad throw as Betemit slides in. Call that a single and an error. Carlos Pena steps in…he tops it up the first base line…Fielder has to charge it, 
Pena sweeps by him into first for the infield single – Betemit moving to 3rd on the play. With 1-out, Starlin Castro steps in. He bloops it toward short, Hanley Ramirez backing quickly, he can’t get it and it drops for a hit as Betemit scores to make it 4-1 Hollywood. It stays this way into the bottom of the 5th. Price gives up a single to Young and Braun on back-to-back hits.   With runners on 1st & 2nd, Fielder steps in….He raps it back to the mound, Price has it….fires to second to 1….back to first…double play. Young moves to 3rd on the play. Than Beltran bounces to Pena for out #3.  Up 4-1 in the bottom of the 8th, Hollywood sends out it’s setup man Steve Cishek. Billy Butler steps in….the pitch….UH OH! WAY BACK……DREW STUBBS LOOKS UP….IT’S GONE! TIJUANA CUTS THE LEAD TO 4-2. Cishek shakes his head. Drew Sutton pinch hits for Joe Mauer and laces a double to center. That’s it for Cishek. Manager Steve Cutler is calling on Heath Bell with no outs in the 8th.  Bells gets Brian Dinkelman (pinch hitting for Hanely Ramirez) to ground out to Ian Kinsler for out #1. Ben Zobrist comes in and bounces out to Castro at short, as Sutton scores to cut it to 4-3 Hollywood. Young bounces out to short and we move to the 9th. Bell is on for his second inning of relief. Braun steps in. It’s a slow roller to Kinsler, he bare hands it…quick toss to 1st…OUT! Fielder strides in….he hits a ground hugger to short…Castro gloves it and throws Fielder out easily. Beltran is their last hope…..bouncer up the middle…Kinsler dives….to his feet….OUTS! Hollywood takes the game and cuts the series lead to 2 games to 1.
Winner:Â David Price 1-0
Loser:Â Zach Greinke 0-1
Save:Â Heath Bell (1)
Homeruns:Â Jason Kubel (1); Billy Butler (2)